New Caledonia

1^st October 2010

22 16 S 166 44 E

We had the perfect sail south to New Caledonia, it was only a couple of days and the wind was perfect. What a pleasant change!!

At first sight the islands do look like Scotland and it is easy to see why Captain Cook named it so. Unlike neighbouring Vanuatu the hills are bare and brown with deep scars of erosion. New Caledonia is the third largest producer of nickel in the world and the economy centres around mining and metallurgy.

We arrived at Noumea, the main town, after spending a night at one of the outer anchorages on the way. Noumea reminds us of Tahiti with its profusion of French boats who arrived and never left. There are several large marinas and the main anchorage has been taken over by mooring buoys so it is difficult to find anywhere to lay the hook.

The town is drab and run down and there are beggars and down and outs at every turn. Local custom has been firmly placed in the museum and cultural centre except for when a cruise liner arrives, then a fresh box of locals is opened up to perform the traditional welcome!

That is a very negative view and I must say that the officials have been friendly and helpful. The market and supermarket are very good and the cheese and French bread excellent! But it’s amazing that with Australia and New Zealand both about 800 miles away half of the imported goods here come from France!!!! Is that economic sense or environmentally sound?

We did have a very nice trip out to the cultural centre, a modern building designed by the same architect who did the Pompidou Centre in Paris. It is about 10 kilometres outside town and set in eight hectares of peaceful woodland. It was a good chance to see how the Kanak people used to live on the islands and learn about some of their myths and legends. It was also very interesting to see photos of some of their fellow Melanesian tribes on other islands; most notably our friends from the festival in Ambrym!

We took off for a few days to explore anchorages away from the town. We had a great hike over the hills one day but as we returned to the beach a Frenchman was waiting to tell us that all the land is private and we were not allowed to walk there. It seems that, like Tahiti, the French own the land and it is off limits to everyone else.

We returned to Noumea to chase our Australian visas, which unfortunately took more than three weeks, and prepare to leave. Perhaps we didn’t give New Cal a chance, I am sure that there are happy people living a more traditional lifestyle away from the town and that there are some beautiful areas to see and lovely people to meet. But we missed the warm smiles of Vanuatu and Fiji and were keen to move on.

Vanuatu

11^th August 2010

17 44 S 168 18 E

Vanuatu, previously New Hebrides, is a group of 83 islands. There are several active volcanoes and earthquakes are frequent. The rich volcanic soil makes for lush, green islands and provides a bounty of produce to feed everyone. To visit the villages beyond the main towns is like stepping back in time. Life is basic, homes are made largely from coconut palms with panels of woven bamboo and most of the food is grown in the family garden. Produce and crafts are traded for the very occasional chicken or a share of a pig and the men go fishing. Most of the cooking is done in earth ovens or on open fires. Fresh water from underground springs is piped to the villages and most families have their own tap. Electricity is rare but there are families with a generator or solar panel to charge a battery. There is little money about and everyone smiles.

The sail from Fiji to Vanuatu began gently, with light winds and full sail. By the end of the third day the wind began to build, the sea became rough and life was a little less fun! We had planned to go first to the southern island of Tanna to see, and climb, Mount Yasur, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes, but with conditions worsening we had to change course and make way to Efate, the main island where the anchorage offers better protection.

Our first stop was the main town of Port Vila to do the official paperwork. It is a nice town, busy with tourists, with a good supermarket (French) and produce market where we provisioned for our expedition around the islands. Over the first few days of our stay there were 5 small earthquakes which shook Chinook in the water. It was quite weird. The only damage in town was to the duty free shop where a few bottles of spirits fell from the shelves – no great loss to the locals.

After stocking up we set out to explore. At many anchorages throughout the islands people would come out in their dugout canoes with fruit or vegetables from their gardens to trade. One man was looking for a 12 amp light bulb to use with his battery; I think we had some lobster and breadfruit from him. Others wanted t-shirts or flip flops. These exchanges often led to long and interesting conversations. There are over 100 languages spoken in Vanuatu, sometimes each tribe on an island will speak a different language. The common language is Bislama, a type of pigeon English which is fairly easy for us to follow, when spoken slowly. Then they speak English and /or French as well. (Some islands are French, some English as the land was jointly governed by the two nations for many years before its independence.) In school they learn Bislama in the early years and then at junior and senior level they take instruction in English or French. It is very impressive.

When we arrived at Lemen Bay on the island of Epi the first thing we heard was the sound of children’s laughter and this sound was the background to every day we spent there. We went ashore to pay our respects to the chief but instead met Ellison, a teacher from the school. He offered to show us around the village and we spent a pleasant afternoon chatting as we were introduced to village life, stopping by to say hello to the chief on the way. Ellison studied in New Zealand and is a very inventive man. He has designed a small water generator, which is in production, and also a wood burning fridge which is currently being developed in New Zealand.

The following day we went to church! I know, I know but we heard that the singing was really good. It was fabulous, the children, who were practicing for a Sunday school festival, entertained us with their sweet voices and then we joined in the hymns in Bislama. There was lots of holding hands and clapping and we enjoyed it immensely. We even managed to follow the sermon which was also in Bislama. It was a wonderful experience and afterwards we were invited to meet everybody. We stood outside the church with the minister and shook hands with the entire congregation as they came out – about 150 people!! As we left Ellison was waiting with a gift of bananas and papaya from his garden.

After church we got talking to an Australian couple who were staying at the chief’s house and building their own ‘kastom’ house. They invited us round for coffee and we learned that Chief Willy needed an egg whisk. When we next dropped by we took our whisk with us. Chief Willy was delighted and immediately took it to show his wife, Melanie, telling her it was lemon meringue pie for tea, and we were invited to join them. Whilst the men went off spear fishing Melanie showed me how to make banana pie and ‘lap lap’, the local dish of manioc, yams and other vegetables soaked in coconut cream, wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an earth oven. I could hardly believe it when we also cooked the banana pie and lemon meringue pie on an open fire. Andy brought some of his home brew to share; they never get cold beer so it was a real treat. Before we ate we wandered down to the Kava Bar at Chief Willie's invitation. Kava is the narcotic of the pacific islands, it is made from the kava root which is ground and mixed with water to produce a drink which tastes like mud but has a rather nice buzz! We had it in Fiji but it is way more powerful here....and it is legal!

Our next exciting stop was at Ambrym where we had heard there was to be a 3 day festival. Ambrym is a French island whose rugged coastline is dominated by 2 active volcanoes. The clouds around the island often take on a pinkish hue as the sun reflects on the volcanic fall out and the sunsets are spectacular in crimsons and purples. In the hours of darkness the intense red glow from the crater can be seen for miles around. With the wind in the wrong direction the anchorage becomes untenable as ash and sulphurous gases are swept across the bay.

Every year the Rom festival takes place over several weeks as part of the grade taking ceremonies, where the men can improve their status in their village. The ‘Back to my roots’ festival, put on for the cruisers as part of these festivities, is three days of ceremonial dancing, including the sacrifice of a pig (which they did after we left for fear of offending). The festival is a means of raising money for the education of the children, one of the biggest pressures in this society.

Each day we walked the 3 miles or so up to the village, passing through other villages and stopping to chat to any number of people on the way. Once again we were impressed by the happy sounds of the children and the ready smiles on the faces of those we passed.

A line of tall ‘tam tams,’ tall drums carved from tree trunks, stood proud along the edge of the dance clearing. Whilst around the arena were stalls selling food, including fresh bread and doughnuts with fresh coconut to drink. Several people had also brought their wood and stone carvings to sell.

The dancers were attired in their traditional dress, grass skirts for the women and ‘nambas’ for the men. The namba is a penis wrap attached to a belt of bark with a woven band. The status of the man is defined by the amount of foliage tucked into the back of the belt. The chiefs wore a palm frond whilst the small boys were foliage free!

As the dancing got under way it was clear that this was something special. The dances were not performed for an audience but rather for the people involved. Often the drummer was in the middle of the group with all the dancers facing inwards, sometimes the activity was behind a screen, sometimes the group opened up and the men would dance individually in imitation of an animal as they offered blessings to the animal spirits. It is impossible to relate the power of thirty warriors dancing. The earth shakes as they stamp the beat and the chanting strikes a primeval chord. Over the days we became more aware of the interactions between the participants during the dancing (particularly during one dance where the chiefs took turns to stand on a bamboo tower whilst the others threw fruit at him!) and felt we were starting to get to know the people a little better. This was a magical time.

Our next stop was in Asanvari where a waterfall cascaded into the anchorage. It was a great place to bathe and get the laundry done in fresh water. The day we arrived a square rig cruise ship came. They had organised an evening’s entertainment with ‘kastom’ dancing (in woven flaps rather than nambas this time), a string band and a meal with a roast pig. Again we were treated to kava before the meal. The food was fantastic and the string band were exceptional. It was another wonderful evening to remember.

We travelled up the island chain visiting many interesting places, and meeting lots of lovely people on the way. After renewing our visas we had the task of making our way south east against the wind, back to Port Vila to clear out of Vanuatu. We sailed as much as we could but could not hold a good course and we were pushed back towards Lemen Bay. We had no intention of returning, not wanting to spoil the magic of our first visit, but soon realised it was meant to be and we anchored once more in the bay. We thought we would just stay overnight but when a local boat came by and we heard voices shout “Andy, Kathy......homebrew...” we knew that all was lost and we would have to stay.

Once again we ate at Chief Willy’s house and we were also invited for an evening of kava and food with Isabelle, who, it turned out, was the ex Secretary of State for Vanuatu; an interesting and well traveled lady.

Our Aussie friend’s, Stephanie and Justin, were coming to the end of their stay in Lemen Bay and were planning a farewell feast. We arranged to go with them to a village on the other side of the island to buy a pig. Our first stop was to meet up with Lauren, a friend of Steph and Justin who was working on Epi with the Peace Corps. She was to come with us to help with negotiations.

It was apparent that on the windward side of the island, where visitors are rare, that people do not have the opportunity to trade with the white man. The landscape is a lot harsher and the people have a lot less than in Lemen Bay, and certainly no access to a regular supply of new t-shirts. Many people wore odd flip flops which they had found washed up on the shore. The spirit of the people is the same however and we were made more than welcome. I only wish we had brought something to trade and will certainly be wiser next time.

The pig trading was done with just about all the children from the village round us. This was quite an event. A deal was struck amongst excited chatter and the very familiar laughter and it was agreed that the pig would be delivered the following day.

We ate dinner with Chief Parmasusu and his family, Lauren’s hosts in Epi, and were presented with gifts of thanks for visiting their home; a woven basket and fan for me and a Trident’s Horn shell for Andy. I can’t tell you how emotional it was. We were so happy the following day when Chief Parmasusu came out to Chinook and we were able to return his hospitality and offer gifts to him.

Our last evening in Lemen Bay saw Chief Willy, Melanie and their three children, together with Steph, Justin and their son visit Chinook for a farewell homebrew. The highlight of the event was when the dugong, a kind of sea hippo, decided to join us. She played around the boat for nearly half an hour, surfacing within a few feet of us to breathe, giving us a perfect view of her graceful movement as she dived back down with a flick of her tail. There were delighted squeals from the children and even Chief Willy said he had never had such a good view before. It was the perfect ending to our stay.

Vanuatu has certainly been one of the highlights of our cruising; there are so many more tales to tell about the wonderful people we met and their warm hospitality. But our time is up and we have to move on. New Caledonia next.....

Fiji

28th May 2010

17 35 S 177 26 E

We sat in Opua watching one storm after another pass through, waiting for a ‘weather window’ to take us to Fiji. Finally a gap opened up and we were off into the rough sea left behind by the last lot of turbulent winds. It soon eased and we began to enjoy the trip until, on the fourth day, another, unforecast, low pressure system came through making it impossible to make our course. The big winds pushed us much further east than we wanted and left us feeling battered and bruised. With the forecast showing another storm heading straight for us we decided we would take ourselves way off course to Minerva Reef, a remote atoll nearly 500 miles from Fiji, and sit it out there. Once the storm had passed we made a dash for Fiji and for the most part had a pleasant, if a little feisty, sail.

Our Port of Entry into Fiji was at Port Lautoka on the main island of Viti Levu. From our first encounter with Customs officials we met the warmth of the Fijian people. This is probably the friendliest place we have been. Despite a recent history of political unrest and it being virtually a police state there is very little evidence of tension on the surface. Everywhere is welcoming and friendly. It is a real pleasure to go into town and visit the market.

The population is roughly 50 50 Fijian and Indo Fijian giving this island group a strong ethnic identity. The vibrant atmosphere in Lautoka is quite different from anywhere else we have been in the pacific. The town centre is a hive of industry with the latest DVDs being burned and garments flying off sewing machines in every other shop. The bustling market is packed with a good variety of local produce and sacks of richly coloured, fresh spices. Food stalls sell delicious curries and spicy treats. And the best of it is that it is so cheap. We can eat out for less than 5 quid for the two of us and buy fish, such as mahi mahi or wahoo for about 2 pounds a kilo! I have stocked up on spices and treated myself to an Indian cookery book and am turning out some delicious meals.

As soon as we arrived here, in what seems to be becoming a habit, I had to fly home. This time it was for a happy occasion, the marriage of my son, Tim, to the lovely Naomi. It was a fabulous day and I was so proud of them both and delighted to welcome Naomi as my new daughter. It was also a good opportunity to catch up with friends and family. I have been feeling a bit homesick since I got back, these trips have made me realise just how far we are from home!

Back in Fiji we got straight into exploring. Sailing around Fiji can be tricky. There are so many reefs just below the surface and most of the area has not been surveyed. When moving about someone has to be on close watch at all times. Several times we had to make a quick u turn to avoid a bommy. It was worth the effort though to get out to the outer islands where, in places, we enjoyed the most amazing variety of corals, probably the best we have seen anywhere. Such healthy reefs are absolutely teeming with fish and we have spotted several that we had not seen before. We discovered that, a few years ago, Fiji had a project to restock its reefs. They made nursery beds where they planted pieces of coral, taken from a struggling reef, to encourage new growth before transplanting them back onto the reef – in much the same way as we would tend young plants. We saw some abandoned frames from the project but don’t know if it is still in operation elsewhere. The evidence is that the project was successful but there are certainly still some reefs which could do with some help.



Poor Andy picked up a flu virus which then turned into some strange infection. A swelling, the size of a tennis ball, came up on his neck and he was incapacitated for nearly three weeks. A course of strong antibiotics sorted him out but we never found out what caused the problem. He didn’t even touch the beer for over two weeks... now that’s bad!

He was, however, sufficiently recovered by his birthday to manage one beer. The highlight of the day was opening a card from home with family photos showing how his nephew and nieces have grown from the children he left behind into fine looking young adults. A stark reminder of how time is passing. A tear was shed.
We took a bus ride into the town of Nadi which is much more developed than Lautoka and has all the trappings of tourism. It lacks Lautoka’s atmosphere and there was a lot of hassle from shopkeepers. Despite that we enjoyed our day and particularly the bus ride which gave us a first class view of the Fijian countryside.

The main export for Fiji is sugar and it grows as far as the eye can see. The fields are divided into small plots with the cane at different stages of development to ensure continuity of harvest. Once reaped, the remaining stubble is burnt off to make way for the next planting. A feature of the main island is the permanent smoky haze from the fires which can be seen, and smelled, in every direction. The boat was constantly covered in sticky black smut. It can’t be healthy. The sugar processing plant is right beside the main wharf in Lautoka, where we anchored on our supply trips. A small train runs each night bringing in the freshly harvested cane. Lorries come from miles around to deposit their load. Unfortunately the plant is forever breaking down. The last breakdown took three days to repair and dozens of lorries sat idle beside the road, halfway to town, waiting to offload. We talked to one of the drivers who told us they just have to wait their turn. He was quite philosophical about the situation, despite losing time and money and having to sleep under his lorry. “It’s Fiji time.” he told us.



When we left New Zealand we left behind many of our cruising friends. Some were seeking residency in NZ, some returning home and others heading out in different directions. The community that we enjoyed from Panama to New Zealand has broken up and we have really missed bumping in to familiar boats and friendly faces. We are looking forward to making new friends as we continue on. Next stop, Vanuatu.

New Zealand

28th November 2009

35 18 S 174 07 E

The passage from Tonga to New Zealand took 10 days. The wind was light and the sea flat to begin with, so much so that we were actually able to barbeque on the way! As we got closer to land the wind went round to the nose and the final part of the trip was quite frustrating.......

On arrival we tied up on the Quarantine dock and awaited the officials. New Zealand is very strict about the importation of food and plant products so we were prepared for them to confiscate our remaining fresh supplies, which amounted to half a cabbage and some egg shells. It was a good job the trip wasn’t much longer!

We were excited to go ashore as soon as the official business was done, to catch up with friends and get our first taste of New Zealand. The first taste was sweet....... free food and beer at the local ‘boat show’. When the beer ran out there was wine. It could not have been a better introduction – we never did get round to looking at the exhibitions though.

Sadly, when we contacted home I found my father had been taken ill so I caught the first flight back to UK, leaving Andy to spend Christmas and New Year with his good friend Johnny on Vindil. For me it was a difficult time and I was sorry to say my final farewell to a much loved dad. I miss him greatly.

When I returned, at the end of January, Chinook was in the boatyard and Andy had made great progress on her refit. He gave me a quiet day to recover from the journey and then it was down to work. We both worked from dawn to dusk, welding (Andy), varnishing (me), painting and all manner of jobs on rigging and the like. I just can’t believe that after so much effort Chinook looks much the same as when we started!

At the end of February we had to go into overdrive to get Chinook back into the water. We had friends arriving from UK at the beginning of March and the pressure was on. We ended up anti fouling in the late evening, with flood lighting, ingeniously set up by Andy! We finally managed to ‘splash’ the day after Terry and Sue arrived – they had no time for jet lag as we put them to work as soon as they had stowed their luggage!

We were so happy to have them on board, not least because they got us out of the yard. It was great to be out cruising. After a brief stop in Whangarei to provision and get the boat ready for sea we headed out along the scenic coastline to the Bay of Islands, via Tutukaka and Whangamumu. The weather was perfect with blue skies and sunshine; and the sea, in the well protected bay, was flat making for easy sailing – when the wind deigned to show itself.

The Bay of Islands is gorgeous, with around 150 undeveloped islands breaking up the turquoise waters. It is a place of great historical significance to the Maori and, whilst out walking we came across the remains of some of their ancient settlements. We were only able to visit a handful of the islands in the time we had but it was great to be able to take Terry and Sue to places they could not have accessed any other way. Seeing it through their eyes helped us to appreciate how lucky we are.

We eventually made our way back to civilization and a visit to the genteel town of Russell , once known as the ‘hellhole of the Pacific’ where whalers, escaped convicts and drunken sailors would hang out. It was a pleasant stop on the way back to Opua, where Terry and Sue jumped ship to continue their holiday by campervan. We missed their company when they had gone, particularly as we had to go back to doing our own washing up!

Once on our own it was straight back to the jobs we hadn’t managed to complete in the yard and Andy spent a good couple of hours up the mast, every day for a week! He got used to it in the end... and I got some peace and quiet!!!

After Easter we found that the price of a campervan halved and we decided that we should take the opportunity to see something of this wonderful country, after all there is little chance of us getting back here again.

In a month we managed to get from Auckland down to the fjords of South Island and back and saw the most awesome sights on the way, including the spectacular crossing between the islands on the Picton Ferry, a notoriously rough trip but, fortunately, mirror calm when we did it. Driving through New Zealand is amazing; firstly there is very little traffic making it very easy; secondly, the scenery is spectacular and so diverse, it seems like someone changes the backdrop every couple of hours! It is no wander that New Zealand was chosen as the location for Lord of the Rings films. There are mountains and fjords and glaciers and thermal springs and gorges and gold mines and orchards and cute little towns – each one historic or famous for something, however obscure. And New Zealand does it all so well. The Department of Conservation manages the countryside and tourism. They have well marked walks for everyone, from short focused strolls for the infirm to tramps of several days, with huts for overnight stops, for the super fit, each enhanced by well presented information about the flora and fauna on the way.

The DOC also has its own campsites and we used these as often as we could, since they are very cheap or, often, free; particularly the ones located off the beaten track. The sites are very basic, with the only facilities being composting toilets and, sometimes, barbeque pits, and, apart from those at major tourist spots, little used. We often had a campsite to ourselves or in company of only one or two others. The most interesting stops were those where we came across local characters. At a hunting site, several miles up an unmade track, we met a guy in his late 70’s who had been hunting deer for over 60 years. He came over to check on our movements so that he wouldn’t accidentally shoot us! At Goldsborough we met guys who spend every summer ‘fossicking’ for gold in the river. They have special sluices onto which they deposit sediment from the river bed. The fast flowing water takes away the mud leaving behind tiny flakes of glittering gold.


It wasn’t long before we found out why the campervans are so cheap after Easter. We woke one morning to see the first snow of the year blanketing the mountains all around us. We chipped the ice off our noses and hurried out to invest in hot water bottles! The days were mostly warm and sunny but darkness fell and the cold crept in during the late afternoon. The bonus was that we got to see the glorious reds and golds of the trees in their autumn livery, something we have really missed in the tropics. And we so enjoyed the evenings when we were able to warm ourselves on an open fire built to cook our evening meal.

Whilst on a lunch stop one day in South Island we watched with envy as helicopters took off to fly over the glaciers. The price was prohibitive but we decided that had it been just half we would have treated ourselves, after all the following day was my birthday. As we prepared to move on the operator came over and offered us the trip at very close to half price – to make up the numbers! We couldn’t believe our luck and spent the next twenty minutes or so at 2000m amongst snow clad mountain peaks with a first class view of the pack ice and its deep craters. It was breathtaking. We were even more grateful the next day when the heavens opened and torrential rain fell making it impossible for us to do anything. When the rain finally stopped late in the afternoon we set out to visit the terminal face of the glacier but it was closed because of the danger of breaking ice. It was still closed the following morning and huge chunks of ice could be seen more than a mile from the ice face, where they had been dumped by the rivers of rainwater. We had to move on so, but for our good fortune; we would never have seen the glacier.

New Zealand enjoyed one of its best summers in years this year and we had very little rain..... except for the days when we visited the major scenic attractions, such as the glaciers, the fjords and Arthur’s Pass. But since the west coast of South Island has over 7 meters of rain per year it was hardly surprising that we got soaked a few times. However, this perhaps worked in our favour at Milford Sound where the rain created a spectacular deluge of cascading waterfalls and then stopped just long enough for the mist to clear so that Andy could take a million photographs of Mitre Peak!



Mount Cook was one of our favourite stops. The scenery was
spectacular and we could hear the thunderous roar of distant avalanches echoing through the valley. We took some fairly strenuous walks in the area, one of about 3 or 4 miles along a moraine, at the end of which we were rewarded with a stunning view of Mt Cook and the glacier creeping down its side. Further down, in the valley, large icebergs floated in the glacial lake. It seemed odd to stand in burning sunshine looking at an ice block bigger than a house.

It was such an exciting trip with so many memorable experiences, but after 4 weeks in a campervan we were very glad to get back home to the very spacious Chinook!
Within a few days of our return we were making our preparations to leave New Zealand before winter set in. We were sorry to be leaving and a little nervous of the trip ahead having been virtually landlocked for six months.

Tsunami

On 29th September an earthquake near Samoa sent out shock waves which led to a Tsunami. Sadly Samoa and Niuatoputapu, our last two ports of call, were badly hit. There were many lives lost, particularly in Samoa, and incredible damage to property. Many of the buildings we saw on the south coast of Western Samoa and in Niuatoputapu are now gone.

Most of the village homes in Niuatoputapu, including Se’a’s, were washed away as was the medical center. In the main town, the sturdier, block built government buildings are also gone. 9 people from one family were killed as the van in which they were traveling was washed out to sea. Many animals were also washed away. It is a miracle that there wasn’t more loss of life, we understand that many people had moved to high ground before the wave came.

Our friends were just leaving the harbour when the Tsunami struck; they took photos which show the huge wave, about 20 feet high, engulfing the forest at the eastern end of the island. A subsequent shot shows the same spot minutes later with only a few straggly trees remaining.

Some cruisers remained to help the salvage operation. Within a few days cruisers in Vava’u had rallied round and collected food and clothing which was sent by plane to Niuatoputapu and further supplies, including petrol, were taken up by boat. Locals were not allowed to help unload the plane as it arrived on a Sunday! Media attention was focused on Samoa, which is easier to access, and it took a while longer for outside help, in the form of the Red Cross, to arrive in Niuatoputapu. Reports from those arriving from Niuatoputapu since the disaster say that after the initial shock the people have started to rebuild their lives, and homes, and are showing remarkable resilience.

We were just leaving an anchorage in Vava’u when the tsunami hit, about 20 minutes after it hit Niuatoputapu. We were in the process of lifting the anchor and I was on the wheel and happened to be watching the depth sounder. We were in 14 meters of water one second and the next in 9 meters! We thought it odd and when we looked up saw that the reef on the shoreline was exposed. There was much shouting as all the boats anchored close in were trying to get out quickly; they were pulled violently back and forth in the huge surge. No one was seriously damaged although a couple had to drop their anchor chain to get out quickly.

Our thoughts are with those who suffered in this disaster.

The Kingdom of Tonga

Tonga is made up of 171 islands, 36 inhabited, divided into four groups; The Niuas, Vava’u, Ha’apai and Tongatapu. Tonga is outstandingly beautiful and is very friendly. The population largely subsist on fish, coconuts and whatever they can grow. There are more Tongans in New Zealand than in Tonga and the people at home rely on the money that is sent back.

Tonga lies on the edge of a rim of volcanoes and the soil on the larger islands is rich from ancient deposits of volcanic ash. There are still towering volcanoes on the western side of Tonga and in Ha’apai, Tofua, where Captain Bligh was cast adrift, is still smouldering. There has been other recent volcanic activity at other sites in the Ha’apai area.

Tonga is an absolute monarchy and the King is revered. Tonga is mostly run on a feudal system with each family being allotted 2 plots of land, one on which to live and one for growing food. All the land is owned by the king and no foreigner can buy land, although land can be leased for up to 50 years. This has prevented development of resorts and so Tonga is unspoilt. Sadly it also means that local development has been inhibited and many families have no access to schools or medical services. The doctors and teachers are in New Zealand!

The Niuas

17^th September 2009

15.56 S 173.46 W

We had a pleasant sail down in 15 to 20 knots of wind which is ideal. Despite not yet being at 180 degrees we crossed the International Date Line on this passage and so lost a day; we are now 12 hours in front of UK, instead of 12 hours behind!

Niuatoputapu (very sacred coconut) is one of the three volcanic islands which form The Niua group which are the most northern islands of Tonga. It has a population of 1010 and 14 churches. Living here is traditional and most homes, fales, have no electricity. Cooking is done on open fires or in earth ovens and most of the food is grown on the island, although they do import some basics such as flour, sugar and rice. Back in May their supply ship sank so they are now short of supplies and with no replacement ship, there is little hope of a delivery in the near future. Many cruisers have brought flour or rice with them to help out and the local people trade their fruit for items that they need. They will not starve; there is a good variety of fruit and veg growing and plenty of fish to catch. The customs man said he thinks it is a really good thing that they have to return to the coconut!

I read in a guide book that communication with the outside world was by Morse code as recently as 1999!!! However there is now a huge satellite dish in the main town of Hihifo and the local High School has a computer which is linked to the internet, I expect the Government buildings are also online.

Shortly after arriving in Niuatoputapu the officials came out to the boat to complete the formalities. After that we were invited to the home of Se’a, a local lady, for a pig roast. She does this every Friday for cruisers. 2 young pigs were cooked on a spit over an open fire and served with breadfruit, taro and cassava. We had a lovely evening in the company of her family and some fellow boaties. When darkness fell they brought out a fluorescent tube and fired up a generator to give us light.

On Sunday Se’a put on a picnic for us. Tongan religion does not allow them to work on Sundays so it is a good time for families to get together and Se’a’s family chooses to share it with cruisers too. We met on an outlying ‘motu’ and Se’a brought tuna cooked in coconut cream in a taro leaf, which was delicious, and the usual breadfruit and cassava. We cruisers each brought our own dishes to share and turned it into a pot luck. The vegetable dishes we took went down very well and the children loved the cookies. Unfortunately the rain came and sent us all running home early.

Wild pigs and chickens roam freely on the island and can be seen foraging on the exposed coral at low tide, alongside horses, which are also here in numbers. The pigs eat anything and many of the houses are surrounded by makeshift fences to keep them away from their plants and food stores. The plantations, where most of the food is grown, lie behind the villages on higher ground. We had a pleasant hike up into the hills and talked to some of the men working in the fields. One of the crops being tended was tapioca, which I don’t think I have seen growing before.

After a few days we were ready to move south to the next group of islands. As we left the harbour and headed out to sea we spotted whale spouts in front of us. There were 2 humpback whales travelling slowly just ahead. As we watched, a third one swam past us close to the boat on the port side and then a couple of others, a short distance off to starboard. We were mesmerized as one, then another breached and yet another spy hopped behind us. (That is when they come out of the water vertically and ‘stand’ on their tail) It was so absorbing we went a bit too far west and had to pay for it later!

Vava’u

25^th September 2009

18.39 S 173.58 W

The sail down to Vava’u was a bit frustrating. The wind had more south in than we would have liked and we were gradually pushed further westwards. It was fairly comfortable sailing in 10 to 20 knots. As we neared the islands we had to tack to make our course and our day sail turned to night. We should have been in by sundown but instead we were discussing whether or not it would be safe to enter the island group in the dark or better to heave to until morning. After studying the chart carefully we superimposed the radar onto the chart plotter and headed in to an easy looking anchorage. We approached the wide open bay with great caution and finally anchored at 3am. It was a little tense and we were very tired but we would not have missed those whales for the world.

Vava’u is made up of 60, sparsely inhabited islands over an area of 17 sq miles. The waterways within the group are protected on all sides by the outer islands and reef, and so the sea is flat and sailing is idyllic. It is possible to sail in even the lightest of winds and we would often ghost along at 1 or 2 knots. In the centre is an immense, landlocked harbour where the main town of Neiafu, with its lively market and restaurants, lies.

The distances from one island to the next were small so when a friend called on the VHF and asked us to come over for a barbeque or a pot luck curry we could up anchor and sail over, maybe stopping for a snorkel on the way. It was great fun. Every few days we popped back to town, or an anchorage near town to get fresh supplies.

Humpback whales come to Tonga to breed and calf at this time of year so we frequently saw them as we sailed around. On one occasion we watched a mother and her calf swimming around our anchorage for about an hour and when we went diving on another day we could hear the song of a distant whale in the water.

The other creatures of note have been the flying foxes. They are here in their hundreds and we saw them hanging in trees during the day and flying out to forage at night. They have cute little foxy faces and are bigger than I expected, probably about a 30 inch (or 75cm) wingspan.

‘Chinook Tours’ took a group of friends out to Mariners Cave, accessible only by taking a huge leap of faith. It involved diving down a couple of meters and swimming through an opening in the rock face into the cave. The cave is only 2 or 3 meters in but is not visible from the surface. We motored back and forth a few times before deciding we had the right spot. Andy was the first one through and we all waited nervously for a signal that it was safe to go in. I valiantly volunteered for the job of boat watch as it was too deep to anchor, so sadly missed my opportunity to go in.........(I’m not a coward, honestly!)

Ha’apai

2^nd November 2009

19 51 S 174 24 W

After one false start when the weather defeated us we finally made it to Ha’apai with a comfortable beat into 10 to 15 knots of wind.

These islands are wonderful, mostly uninhabited and cruiser free. We saw only a few birds and hundreds of crabs. The islands are small enough to walk around in an afternoon at most and we went ashore most days to walk the beaches and search for treasure. We have collected so many shells that we have to be a bit more discerning now and only take grade ‘A’ shells. We are still searching for the perfect Cowry; it must be out there somewhere.

The reefs in the area make navigation a bit tricky but are great for snorkelling. The water is much colder down here – we are nearly out of the tropics – and we had to wear wet suits but it was worth it. The water is crystal clear and we saw a lion fish the other day. On one of our walks we came across a school of about 20 or more sharks in the shallows, about a meter from where we stood. We decided not to bother snorkelling there!

We only wish we had left more time for these islands, they are truly special and we hope to come back and give them a bit more time.

We stopped briefly in Nuku’alofa, Tonga Tapu to fuel up and restock for the trip to New Zealand. With cyclone season fast approaching we really had to get moving and could not put it off any longer!